The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-23
EXCITEMENT IN LAURENS.
The Negroes Reported to be Organizing
for Mischief.
Special to the Neacs and Courier.

Special to the Necs and Courier.
LAURENs, June 1S.-Hoover, who
recently caused so much trouble in
Georgia and made himself notorious
throughout the country, is said to
have visited Laurens County. Wheth.
er it was Hoover or some other like
character the fact remains that
Hoover's influence pervades the COL
ored population. Near Cedar Grove,
Young's township, the negroes have
organized themselves into secret or.
ganizations known as Knights of
Labor. Each member is sworn to
perpetual secrecy. and to mutually
sustain and protect each other. The
meetings are all held with closed
doors and armed door-keepers and
armed pickets. Notwithstanding the
very great precautions of secrecy,
some of the purposes of the organi-
zation are known. The meetings
are held from two 10 three times each
week. Among other things that are
known are that the negroes have
been made to believe that this country
belongs to them-at least, they say
and that they will maintain these
extraordinary claims with their lives.
They think that they will obtain
their rights quickest by exterminating
the older whites and enslaving the
young men. The young women they
will take for their wives. The whites
in the neighorbood are alarmed, but
they are determined as brave men to
defend their hearths:ones and the
women with their blood, if need be.
a cavalry company has been Or
ganized with DR.. W. j. Westmore.
land as captain, and application has
been made to the Governor for arms.
Col. J. H. Traynham, on the Gov
ernor's staff, under instructions from
Columbia, will proceed at once to the
scene of action to investigate and re-
port such steps as may be necessary
to protect the country from vio-
lence and bloodshed. Capt. L. E..
Irby, of the Laurens Guards, will &C.
company Col. Traynham.
1 have just read a letter from W.
P. Cooker, a very reliable and sub
stantial citizen, in which he says !:
Il am no alarmist; the emergency is
upon US and we must prepare for it.
The scene of the trouble is about
eighteen miles from here, and I can
give no further information to-day.
J.T.J."
THE NEWS AT THE STATE HoUsE-AN
APPLICATION TO THE GOVERNOR.
COLUMBIA, June I9.-The whites
in Laurens County are evidently
alarmed about the possibility of an
insurrection among the negroes, and
perhaps their fears are well founded
Governor Richardson and the adju'
tant general have been communicated
with. While Governor Richardson
knows that the alarm may possibly be
a false one, he has taken immediate
! action, and should it be ascertained
that there is really danger of an
outbreak, the militia Of the State
will be ordered to a short summer
encampment at Laurens. Governor
Richardson has placed himself in Z
position to obtain reliable informa
tion from Laurens. The following
i letter was resolved by the Governor
to-day:
CEDAR GROVE, LAuRENs Co., S. C
Governor Richardson, Columbis
Dear Sir-The negroes under the
Hoover influence have organized
themselves and hold weekly meet
ings. They meet from midnight tc
2 o'clock and make speeches, saying
they will kill out the white men anc
old women, take the youngIones fol
wives and make the white children
work for them. They say they
will burn the whites out. They are ex
horted to die like brave men, to &C
their graves with bloody feet. They
bind their members by an oath never
to reveal their secrets. At theil
meetings they are guarded by pick
cts. An outbreak may occur at any
time. We have met and organized
a cavalry company of fifty member:
members and would be glad to bt
furnished with State arms at once
with all necessary appurtenanees
The negroes are watched by q com
mittee of whites. The negroes art
all armed. They are armed by The
club. We don't know where or how